1. Bordeaux. Pizza. Goodbyes.

He often used to say there was only one Road; that it was like a great river: its springs were at every doorstep and every path was its tributary. “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door,” he used to say. “You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to.

I’m alone again… at Bordeaux airport having waved a very fond, bittersweet farewell to my dear sweet husband, who hugged me and held me close and whispered “stay safe…. come home soon… just let me know each day that you arrived safely.”  Then he was gone.

When I walked before, Gerry has always driven me to the start of the walk but this time is a different.  I have to fly to Seville and then take the bus into the centre of the city and to the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, better known as Seville Cathedral… a Roman Catholic cathedral in Seville. It is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and the third-largest church in the whole world.

Yesterday we collected Matt from Lycee before driving to Bordeaux.  I’d made Matt vegan cookies as a parting gift and he hugged me… a huge big bear hug of a hug from the man he has grown into. I hate goodbyes.

We’d already decided on a pizza restaurant near the hotel… which was a great choice… Italian biere blanc and 4 cheese pizza went down a treat.

The Ibis Styles wasn’t quite as stylish as we had hoped but the bed was comfy and we slept well… apart from the 5.45 alarm… which was a reminder for me that early mornings will be the norm for the next 7 weeks.

And so… Gerry has left, driven home to get Matt back to lycee and I took the shuttle to the airport… I’ve checked in and I’m sat here wondering to myself, as I often do… what an earth am I doing!

I hate goodbyes.